Electron-discharge device



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May 4 1926.

w. G. HousKEEPER ELEUTRON DISCHARGE VDEVICE vFiled July 13. 1920 ffy. 4

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AiJ-.isii,'.1-.IED STATES' PATENT '()ifFicEQ WILIAM G. HOUSKEEIER. NEW YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F YORK.

ELECTRQN-DIBCHARGE BEVICE.l

Application led July 13, 1920. Serial o. 396,014.

To all whom ztmay concern.' Be it Akno-wn 'that I, WILLIAM Gr. Hoos- KEEPER, a citizen of the United States of America, residingr at New York, in the county oit New York, State of New York,

have invented certain* new and useful Improvements in Electron-Discharge Devices),

uated vessel or envelope is oi" metal andse-rves as the anode. This metal-portion is preferably inthe form of a cylindrical .copper cup, and its rim is fused or welded .d1- rectly to a glass portion which formsv the remainder of' the envelope, and serves as a support for the other electrodes, the. seal being formed intsuch a way as to resist rupture vin spite of any unequality in the coeiiicients 'of expansion of themetal vglass portions.

Such device .is capable of handling large amounts of power effectively for the reason 'that the metallic portion ofthe envelope may lie immersed in -a suitable cooling fluid to conduct away from the anode excess heat generated therein. n

Permanency of theseal between the metal and glass portions is obtained by 4insuring that no'thick or nnyielding part of the metal portion becomes imbedded in the glass during the fusing operation. In the preferred construction, this condition is realizedby tapering the .metal portion at the sealing point .to avery thin-.edge sothat .even if the glass Should 'liow'over `the edge in sealing the internal stresses in the imbeddedxportion -will bleinsufticient to resist ,the surface adhe- 45 sionvhetween theglass and metal vsosthat the seal -wi'il remain intact .in IsI-Jite of any in.- equal-ity .in-the coecientsof expansion .of the metaland'glass. Y

The .invention is illustrated -in-.fthe drawings..0f whichFig. 1 represents -a longitud-inal section through the vcontaining; vessel. showing .theotherparts in elevation; Fig. 2

represents an enlarged detail. View. of :par-t.

of the support vfor filament and control electrodes; Fig. 3 represents a detail view of another part .of the above mentioned elec.- tiode support; and Fig. 4' represents a part sectional view-of the manner in which the electron .discharge .devicei-s cooled. i i I As shown in 'the drawings the devifce comprises a cup-shaped vessel 1 of metal, preferably of copper, which lis adapted to serve as one of the electrodesof the device, preferably the anode. Electrical connection may be made to anode 1 by simply fastening" a wire, such as a wire 2 to the outside of the electrode. The rim of the anode is preferably flared outwardly, and is tapered to `a very thin edge 3.4 ln one type of electron discharge device made in accordance with .this invention, the cylinderical portion oi" the anode is about 6.long, ll/Z in di-` ameter, and its wall is gli? thick. .The rim of the anode is flared outwardly for approximately 1% to a diameter of about4 2 and is tapered to-an edge of approximately .008.

rlhe end of the anode is sealed to a base portion 4, .preferably made of glass accord-- a 'Hare substantially corresponding to the llare .of the anode. This `portion of glass and end of the anode are then Iinserted. in a flame and fused together. After this the portion 4 is fused to the: ortion 5.

The. manner in which t e glass and metal' portions are -fusedtogether renders the seal permanent as itproventsftlie imbedding of aiyfsubstant-ial amount of the metal in the g ass.

The other electrodes are supported with# in Athe metallic anode on a frarnewok..v This framework comprises a hollow rod .orarbor 6, preferably seamless steel tubing, .each end of which is formed to a square section. The end 7 which is of considerable length,vpas ses through an aperture 8 in a plate of insulating material 9, .preferably vof invite and is positioned relative to said plate by the en- :lt'gement :therewith of the shoulder between thesquared and round: sections. rlwo plates '11 land 12 anexhent around .the end 7 and a spacing sleeve 13 is positioned between the edges of the plates 11 and 12 and the face of the plate 9.

The outer ends of the plates 11 and 12 are Welded to upright T-bars` 13 and 14 which in turn at their lower ends are Welded to a collar 15 whichl surrounds and grips 'the stem 16 of the glass base 4 of the vesl adapted tofit loosely within the anode 1,

^ preferably made of nickel.

thus positioning said end of the arbor 6 centira-lly' with respect to the anode 1. This end of the arbor 6 is split into strips 32 which are bent over on to the outside surface of the plate 18. The lower face of the plate 18 is provided with a flange 20, preferably of lavite which serves to space it from the plate 17, and thus increase the electrical leakage path between conductors in plate 17 and the point of contact between anode 1 and plate 18. A. plurality of wires 21 are fastened in the plate 17 and extend loosely through apertures in the plate 9. To these wires a spirally wound length of wire22 forming the control electrode is welded throughout its length. This wire 22 is The loose mount-ing of the wires 21 in the plate 9 permits them to expand under the influence of heat. One of the control electrode supporting wires 21 is connected to a lead-in wire 23 which passes' through a long tubular extension 24 of the stem 16 and is sealed through the end of the same. The tubular extension 24 is also evacuated so that wire 23 is separated by the vacuum from the other lead in wires which pass out of the vessel on the outside of the tubular extension 24. By this means Ahigh voltage discharges between the lead-in wires 1sl prevented. This feature is claimed in my U. S. Patent 1,536,855, issued May 5, 1925.

` Ajilament 25 is supported and wound in a zigzag fashion between the lavite Iplates 9 and 17. At one end it is supported by a plurality of hooked wires 26 which are fastened in apertures in the lavite plate 17. At its other end, it is connected to a. plurality of hooked wires 27 which pass loosely vthrough apertures in the lavite plate 9.

The Shanks of the hooks 27 are welded to the outer ends of coiled springs 29. Each spring 29 has two portions of different dimensions, the portion 30 .of small dimension being coiled to fit the aperture '31 in 'the lavite plate 9 and through which the wire 27 passes. This type. of design inconnection with filaments is described more in detail in a copending application Serial No. 340,455, filed November 25, 1919, entitled Vacuum tubes in the name of Paul M. Tatrous. By this means thedilament is kept in a state of constant tension under the varying temperatures to which it is "subjected These springs are preferably placed as shown on that side of plate 9 remote from the main part of the electrode structure so that they are elfectively shielded from the heated area. The effec-t of the heat on the elasticity of the springs is thereby substantially avoided. One end of the filament-is connected to one of the wires 26 which `passes through an-aperture in plate 18 and is welded to one of the strips 32 into which the upper end of the rod 6 is divided and which are bent over against a face of the plate 18 to clamp it against the plate 17 By means of this connection through the rod 6, the plates 11 and 12, the T-bar 13, a connecting wire 33 and a lead-in wire 34 the electrical connection to this end of the filament is established. The other end of the filament is connected to one of the wires 26 which passes through the plate 18 and extends into an insulating tube 35 preferably of glass or quartz disposed. within the hollow steel' arbor 6. This tube 35 extends to a point beyond the square end 7 of the arbor 6. ,The connecting wire 35 for this end of the filament passes through the tube 35 and is welded to the end of the lead-in wire 36.

This device is particularly adapted for operation with large amounts of energy. The particular structure described has'been found capable of absorbing three kilowatts of energyat a voltage of 3500 on the anode. The tube` when Voperating with such large amounts of power is'adapted to be used as a modulator, an oscillator or an amplifier in electrical systems suchas telephone and radio circuits. One way the tube may be connected up as an amplifier of electric currents is shown in the Arnold Patent #1,129,942, of March 2, 1915. 4

When such lar e amounts of power are being applied to 1e tube it is necessary that a simple and effective means be providedJ to dissipate the heat generatedat the anode. To this end,Figure 4 illustrates a simple and efficient cooling system which is adapted to be used in connection with this thermionic device. As shown in the ligure' it comprises a receptacle 40 which has an inlet 41 and an outlet 42 for the circulation of a cooling medium which may be water or oil or ot er suitable medium. Or it may be advisa le to provide a different cooling means such as a coil or pipe 43 through which a cooling medium may be passed. This coil or pipe is disposed around the space occupiedl by the metallic anode of the tube. The bottom of receptacle 40 is provided with anA aperture essaies which is partly closed by means of washer 44 of leather or heavy rubber or -the like fastened to the bottom of the'vessel by means of brass rings 45 and screws 46. The thermionic device is inserted through the opening in the washer 44 and is positioned there in so that about half of the lower glass portion of the base of the device extends into the receptacle 40. The lower end of the tube extending below the bottom of receptacle 40 is readily accessible for making electrical connections thereto, the bottom of receptacle 40 being elevated from the level of the ioor of the platform on which it is placed by means of standards 47. This arrangement is suitable When water or other conducting mediums is used for cooling since the leads at the lower end of the device are thus insulated rom the conducting cooling medium- When however, oil or other insulating medium is used for cooling the device, it is not necessa to employ a receptacle having a s ecia aperture as shown in Fig. 4 since al the vlead in conductors may be immersed in the oil without any danger of electrical leakage taking place.

It will be apparent from consideration of the above description of the mechanical construction of this ltube that the mounting for the filament and grid and the supporting connections from this mounting to the stem of this tube can be and are completely assembled as a .unit before this unit is 'fastened to the stem 16. It will also be readily apV parent that this tube is not onlyncapable olf absorbing large amounts of power in a simple and eflicient manner but that-'the structure is rigid and cabable of -standing up-under severe usage, compared with the ordinary radiation .type of tube in which the heat generated is'dissipated merely'by radiation from the electrodes within a glass bulb.

What is claimed is:

l. A high power (electron discharge device comprising a container and a cathode supported therein, said container comprising two portions, one of metal forming the anode, and the other of vitreous material supporting the cathode, the said portions of said container being directly sealed together by. fusion, andthe meeting surfaces of said portions being so shaped with respect to each other that no unyielding part of said metal portion'can become imbedded in said vitreous portion during the fusing-operation, whereby ruptureoi:` the seal because'o un. equal coefficients of the expansion ofthe two portions is prevented.

2. An electron discharge device comprising a containing vessel, a stem, a rigid bar, insulating plates secured to the ends of said bar, an electrode supported by and between said plates, a Second electrode resiliently supported by and between said plates and :po-

5 sitioned within said first mentioned elec- 3. An electrode unit comprising a rigid hollow metallic bar, insulating plates fas' -tened to each end of said bar, a control elec-y trode supported between said plates a cathode supported between said plates and po` sitioned within the control electrode, means on one of said plates and connecting with one end of said cathode for resiliently supporting the same, a hollow insulating tube supported within vsaid metallic bar, a connection from one end of said cathode to said hollow bar and another connection on the other end of said cathode adaptedk to pass Within saidl hollow insulating tube, both of said connections being adapted to lead to a suitable source of otential.

4. An electron discharge device having a containing vessel comprising a hollow metallic portion and a hollow glass portion fused' together, a receptacle into whichk the device may -be inserted, an aperture in said receptacle through which the device passes, a fiexible washer in said aperture adapted to engage a surface of said device land cooling means within said receptacle to cool the device.

. 5. An electron discharge device comprising a cup-shaped metallic portion, a glass portion supported by said metallic portion and forming an enclosingy vessel, a stem projecting from said glassportion into said vessel, a metal collar surrounding said stem and supported thereby, a metallic member 'supported from said collar, and a plurality ofelectrodes surrounding Said member' and supportedv thereby.l A

, 6. An electron discharge device compris `ing a cup-shaped metallic portion, a glass portion supported -by said metallic portion and form-ing an enclosing vessel, a stem projecting from said glass portion into said vessel, ametal collar surrounding vsaid'stein and supported thereby, -zi metallic member supllO portedfrom said collar, a plurality of insulating blocks' carried :by said member, and

a plurality of electrodes surrounding saidmember, and supported shy said insulating blocks. 1

7In an electrn discharge device, a mctallic member, an electrode surrounding said member and supported' thereby, a second electrode surrounding said first electrode, and means carried by said metallic member to engage said second electrode to-determine the space relation between saidelectrodes.

8. An electron discharge device comprising a containing vessel, a cup shaped anode constituting a portion ofthe containing wall y of .said vessel, said anode being flared yat its open end, .a glass portion for .closing .the flared end .of saidlanode, .and welded thereto, a stem in-said vessel and a 4cathode supported by said stem.

9. An electron discharge device comprising a stem, an electrode above said stem, means for rigidly supporting that end of said electrode remote from Said stem, and 'guidlng means at that end of said electrode adjacent said stem for spacing said electrode while still permitting expansion and contraction of said electrode.

10. An electron discharge device comprising a stem, anode, cathode and grid electrodes above said stem, means for rigidly supporting that end of said grid remote from said stem and guiding means comprising an apertured plate forspacing said grid while permitting the free expansion or contraction thereof. "A

11. An electron discharge device comprising a stem, cathode and grid electrodes above said stem, a resilient support for thatend of said cathode adjacent said stem, means for rigidly supporting that end, of said grid remote from said ste1n, and guiding means for the other end of saidgrid for permitting said grid to expand or contract, said guiding means being interposed between said resilient support and the main portion of -sa'id elec-A trodes.

12. In an electron discharge device, a metallic member, acathode supported thereby, a grid electrode comprising a plurality of longitudinal wires supporting 'a wire helix, anda block of insulating material carried by said metallic member and engaging one end of Said wires.

13. An electron discharge device comprisi-ng a plurality of'electrodes, a plurality of blocks of insulating material for supporting said electrodes, a spacer for said blocks, and a lead in wire for one of said electrodes passing through said spacer.

14. In an electron discharge device, a ymetallic member, a cathode surrounding said metallic member andi supported thereby, a grid electrode comprising a plurality of wires rigidly mounted at'one end and arranged parallelto said member, a lateral wire supported by'said longitudinal Wires,

'and a block of the insulating material carried by said metallic member and engaging the other ends of said wires.

l5. An electrodel assembly comprising a metallic rod, insulating plates at either end of said rod, a cathode and a. grid interposed between said plates, said electrodes being rigidly attached to one of said plates -and being slidably supported by the other of said plates to permit the free expansion or. contraction thereof. 16. An electron discharge device comprising an enclosing vessel having a -reentrant stem, a collar surrounding said stem, a grid electrode supported from said collar and comprising a plurality of rods supporting a wire helix, a metallic member within said grid electrode, a cathode surounding said metallic member and supported thereby, and a block of insulating material carried by said metallic member and engaging said rods to maintain the space relation between said cathode and said grid electrode.

17. In an electron discharge device, a metallic member, a cathode supported by and -tallic member, a cathode supported thereby,

a grid electrode comprising a plurality of longitudinal rods supporting a wire helix, and a block of insulating material carried by said metallic member and engaging said rods .to maintain the space relationbetween said grid electrode and said cathode.

19. An electron discharge device comprising an enclosing vessel having a reentrant stem, a metallic member supported at one end from said stem, a cathode surroundingv said'metallic member and supported thereby, acylindrical electrode surrounding said cathode, and means carried by said metallic member'at its opposite end to engage a portion of said electrode to maintain the space relation between said cathode and said other electrode.

20. In an electron discharge device, a metallic member, a cathode surrounding said metallic member and supported thereby, a block of insulating material carried by said member, and a grid electrode having one end fixed and the other end slidably engaging said mblock to permit free-expansion and contraction of said electrode.

21. In an electron discharge device, a metallic member, a block of insulating material carried by'said metallic. member, a cathode supported by said metallic member, and a substantially cylindrical electrode surround- .ing said cathode, said electrode having one end. fixed .and the other end slidably engaging said block of insulating material to permit free expansion or contraction of said electrode.

22. An electron discharge device having a reentrant stem, a collar surrounding said stem, a grid electrode supported :from said collar and comprising a plurality of` rods supportinga wire helix, a cathode within said grid' electrode, and means comprising aA block of insulating material engaging one end of said grid electrode to maintain the space relation between said cathode and said grid electrode.

23. An electron discharge device comprising a pair of blocks of insulating material,

e the other of said blocks, and a member supported by said resilient means and connected to said cathode, said member passing through said, second block whereby said block acts v as a heat shield for said resilient means.

10 24. An electron discharge device comprising a pair of blocks of insulating material, means for supporting said blocl s,"a cathode L between said blocks, rigid members carried by one of said blocks for supporting one end of said cathode, and resilient means carried by the other of saidblocks for supporting 15 the other end of s aid cathode, said resilient means comprising a Wire helix and a member supported by said helix and connected to said cathode, said member passing through said block whereby said block acts as a heat 20 shield for said helix.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of July A. D., 1920.

VILLIAM G. ,HOUSKEEPER 

